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Face to Face     |     Enthusiasm Makes a HUGE Difference!     |     Enhancing Your Receptivity to Wisdom     |     Endure Hardness     |     Drink from the Living Waters     |     Down But Not Out     |     Don’t Take Your Job for Granted     |     Don’t Take Too Much Upon You     |     Don’t Self-Destruct     |     Don’t Play the Cash Flow Game     |    
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Category: Devotions/Partners, English

Face to Face

January 10, 2023

Devotions/Partners

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3 John 1:13-15 (NIV): “I have much to write you, but I do not want to do so with pen and ink. I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face. Peace to you. The friends here send their greetings. Greet the friends there by name.”

COMMENTARY: Never in the history of the world has mankind had such amazing tools by which to communicate. With today’s technology, John could have said something like this: “I had many things to overnight express, email, post on my website or social media, or share through Zoom. Instead, I’ll wait until we can meet in-person.” John knew there are times, situations and issues when nothing can replace eyeball to eyeball, heart to heart, person to person communication.

APPLICATION: By all means, your business should take full advantage of these new communications tools and technologies. However, there’s an inherent danger in relying entirely upon these tools. That is, we can go into a cocoon and lose the personal touch that only comes from face-to-face visits.

Today, think about your company’s sales and customer service operations. Perhaps it’s time to resurrect some of those “old fashioned” sales calls, plant tours and open houses that you used to do. 

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Romans 8:28 (KJV)，read Eagerly Awaiting Bodily Redemption for Ourselves and God’s Creation (Romans 8:18–30) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Enthusiasm Makes a HUGE Difference!

Devotions/Partners

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Ephesians 6:7 (KJV) “Render service with enthusiasm, as unto the Lord and not to men and women.”

COMMENTARY: In today’s world, many people just “put in their time” at work. They get up and go to work out of sheer necessity, not out of any particular joy or passion for who they are and what they do. This drone-like existence goes on day after day, month after month, year after year until they eventually retire or die. And yet, in His Word, the Lord instructs us to work with enthusiasm. And what God instructs us to do, He mercifully and generously gives us the divine power to do it.

The word “enthusiasm” means God in you, full of God, fullness of joy. Since joy is one the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, Christ followers have access to supernatural source of enthusiasm that unbelievers don’t. The problem is, we don’t tap that source regularly.

APPLICATION: A work environment that lacks enthusiasm is cold and apathetic, which makes everyone’s job more difficult, tiresome, tedious, and tense. Each day before you go to work, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you. If you ask Him, He will! You’ll then enter your workplace full of divine joy, which will be evidenced by your enthusiasm. Your attitude and your altitude will change. And, when you forget to ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit, you will notice that your enthusiasm will wane and you will become more frustrated, cranky, crabby, irritable and impatient.  

Over time, your enthusiasm will begin to rub off on your boss, peers, customers and suppliers. God will make you a lighthouse of joy, leading to opportunities to share the hope that dwells within!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about 3 John 1:13-15 (NIV)，read 3 John and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Enhancing Your Receptivity to Wisdom

Devotions/Partners

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Proverbs 19:1 (KJV): “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity, than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.”

COMMENTARY: Integrity is seeing concepts, people, things and events from God’s perspective, then making choices that coincide with His perspective. The Lord wants us to walk in wisdom, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and it begins with living lives of integrity.  

APPLICATION: Search your heart, mind and soul today. The more your internal “climate” is in-line with these eight conditions, the more clearly you’ll hear wisdom:

1) Walking in integrity

2) Avoiding bribery

3) Understanding your place and abiding in it

4) Having a prudent spouse

5) Keeping God’s commandments

6) Having pity on the poor

7) Listening to wise counsel

8) Respecting and reverencing the Lord

Who is the wisest businessperson you know? It’s very likely that you will see these conditions present in his or her life on a continuous basis.

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Ephesians 6:7 (KJV)，read Mutuality in Working for the Lord (Ephesians 5:21–6:9) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Endure Hardness

Devotions/Partners

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2 Timothy 2:3 (KJV): “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”

COMMENTARY: Being a vibrant, on-fire Christian in the workplace requires spiritual fortitude, conviction and strength. Don’t be naïve; you work in the midst of a global, daily spiritual battle between the

forces of Light and the forces of darkness. There are NO neutral zones! Every hour of every day, we are in this battle. We will always be in this battle until the Lord calls us home. In the meantime, we are exhorted to be good soldiers of the Cross for a lifetime.

APPLICATION: I was saved at a Christian business breakfast in June of 1985. Shortly after I was saved, I read the parable of the soils and I made a promise to God that my mind and heart would be fertile ground for His Word. I told him that I wanted to bear much fruit, and over the decades, He has honored this desire and commitment.

However, I can fervently say that without enduring hardness, my Christian journey would not be as fruitful as it has been.  I have experienced many scary times that could have filled me with despair and caused me to quit.

But what Satan has meant for evil, God has turned for good. I’ve had clients, including several Christians, fail to pay their bills and nearly destroy me financially. I’ve had some clients threaten and curse me. I’ve had some of our best clients leave because I’m too evangelical (at the time, one client was responsible for 42% of our revenues). I’ve received crank phone calls and emails, and significant criticism. Through it all, God has been faithful. Over and over again, He has turned apparent tragedy into triumph. By the grace of God, we’re still standing on the sure foundation of Christ and daily giving our time, talent, tongue and treasure for His Kingdom.

I share this brief testimony to encourage you…BE FAITHFUL. If you are currently facing a great hardship of any kind, endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. In the final analysis, He will, He will, He will give you the victory!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

#62

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Proverbs 19:1 (KJV)，read Proverbs and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Drink from the Living Waters

Devotions/Partners

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Revelation 22:17 (KJV) “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”

COMMENTARY: God’s message of salvation is for every soul on earth. God wants every soul to make a freewill choice to come to faith in Christ. God wants every Christian to come to the point where the Holy Spirit fills and flows freely through him or her. The well of living waters is infinite. It never runs dry!

APPLICATION: The stark reality is that many, if not most, people you work with are not yet saved. You and I must never stop inviting people to come to Christ for salvation. That’s why He came to earth. That’s why you’re still on earth: to share the Good News! A soul cannot come to the Father but by Christ. Good works will not suffice. Being religious will not suffice. There is only one way to receive the gift of eternal life in heaven, and that’s through faith in Jesus the Christ. The frightening  consequence of not coming to Christ is spending eternity in hell.

The other side of the coin is that you’ll never be a bold, dynamic, fruitful messenger of the Gospel without drinking continuously from the living waters of the Holy Spirit. Evangelism is not self-driven, it is Spirit-driven. The fuller you are of the Holy Spirit, the more powerful your witness and testimony will be. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;  but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.” (2 Timothy 1:7-8a)

What would you think of a business that never “asked for the order?” We have a free “product” (salvation) that every soul on earth needs.  We must be bold enough to ask for the order just as God does in this passage. Come! Some will say no, some will say maybe, but some will say YES and will be changed for eternity. That makes it all worthwhile!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about 2 Timothy 2:3 (KJV)，read Prayer, Peace, and Order Are Needed at Work as in Church (1 Timothy 2:1–15) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Down But Not Out

Devotions/Prayers

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2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (KJV): “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”

COMMENTARY: As Christians in the workplace, you and I have gone through scary times–emotionally, mentally, physically, financially and spiritually. Yet, as the months and years go by, we can look back and see God’s triumphant resurrection power in the midst of our pain and travail. If you are troubled, perplexed, persecuted, and cast down this morning, DON’T go down the road of distress, despair and destruction. DO trust in God and pray for His deliverance. In His time and in His way, He WILL resurrect you!

APPLICATION: During a recession years ago, thousands of businesses closed, moved to other parts of the country, or downsized operations. Most of the region’s banks took huge hits, creating a severe credit crunch. Prior to the recession, one particular Christian business owner who was a friend of mine had been prospering. But, the majority of his revenues came from one large customer. When the recession hit, that customer went through a major restructuring. Within a short period of time, my friend lost 63% of his revenues. Plus, many other customers were having cash flow problems and were not paying their bills on time. He was deeply troubled, perplexed and cast down. He almost reached the breaking point.

Over time, God was faithful. The Lord used these severe challenges to inspire this business owner to rebuild and diversify. God brought a seasoned Christian mentor into his life, who volunteered his time to help to rescue the business. The Lord gave them the wisdom to acquire a related business and to build a diverse customer base. The Lord brought other Christian business owners into his life to encourage, comfort and help him. It took about five years, but gradually the business turned around.

My friend went home to Glory years ago, and his son now owns and operates the business. Today, the business is enjoying strong sales, good profits and healthy cash flow. Today, the business is shining the Light of Christ more brightly than ever…to more people than ever!

Joyfully yours,

Drew

#60

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Revelation 22:17 (KJV)，read Babylon and the New Jerusalem: A Tale of Two Cities (Revelation 17-22) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Don’t Take Your Job for Granted

Devotions/Partners

Image by mohamed Hassan / Pixabay . Used with Permission.

Job 38:4 (KJV): “Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding.”

COMMENTARY: When Job lost his children, possessions and health, he still faithfully trusted in God. However, during this ordeal, Job had moments of frustration when he questioned why God allowed these things to happen, wondered if God understood what was going on, and asked what God was going to do with the rest of his life. Job was reminded to keep his perspective straight. It’s not for the created being to question the wisdom, decisions and actions of the Creator.

APPLICATION: Do you work for someone who started the business from scratch? Be careful that you respect his or her role as the “creator” of the business. It takes an enormous amount of courage, vision, initiative, faith, time, energy and money to start and grow a business. At some time, your employer had the courage to create and invest in your job. Don’t take it for granted.

If you find yourself complaining about the owner’s management style, judgment, decisions, policies and priorities, ask yourself this question: “Where was I when the owner founded the business?  Do I understand what he or she went through to start and grow the business?” Who died and made you the boss?

Perhaps you need to lighten up. If you feel that your employer is blind to important issues, pray for him or her. Communicate your concerns and ideas in tactful, constructive ways. In the final analysis, however, you must give the owner the liberty to run the business as he or she sees fit. If you don’t think you can continue to work for this person, then by all means go. No job comes with a lifetime guarantee. You have the liberty to leave and try working somewhere else. 

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (KJV)，read Leading and Serving (2 Corinthians 4) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Don’t Take Too Much Upon You

Devotions/Partners

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Numbers 16:7b (KJV): “Ye take too much upon you, ye sons of Levi.”

COMMENTARY: In Numbers chapter 16, over 250 Israeli leaders challenged Moses’ call, authority, competence and judgment. Moses was shocked by their audacity, and he rebuked them with their own words. Ultimately, God is not happy with this group of Israeli leaders and they are “terminated.”

APPLICATION: There are times when managers and employees “take too much upon them” and act as if they owned the business. Sometimes, these power struggles take the form of work slowdowns, shutdowns and strikes. The word “strike” means to deliver a blow; to collide forcibly with; to cease to work in order to put pressure on an employer.

Be not deceived: strikes are acts of violence and warfare against the very people who enable you to have a job. If you challenge their authority, don’t be surprised if you find yourself terminated. Instead, perform the work for which you were hired with godliness, quietness and excellence. Be content with the position and the compensation that you have been given and to which you agreed. Your diligence,

work ethic, and reasonableness will speak volumes to your bosses, and will open doors of constructive influence. 

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Job 38:4 (KJV)，read God Appears (Job 38-42:9) from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Don’t Self-Destruct

Devotions/Partners

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Proverbs 5:21-22 (KJV): “For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings. His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.”

COMMENTARY: The Biblical context of this passage is the man who chooses to commit adultery. However, there is a broader context that ties in with the entire book of Proverbs: Wisdom cries out to every soul, but many choose not to listen to her. Some are naive and go astray out of simplicity. Others are outright foolish and go astray out of a deliberate desire to do evil. Either way, people who do not seek and hearken to wisdom run the severe risk of self-destructing. The fruits of their choices will come back to haunt them. There is no decision or action that escapes the eyes of the Lord. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is secret to Him. He knows all, sees all and ponders all.

APPLICATION: Don’t self-destruct! God has given you the gift of eternal life. In the time that He allows you to remain on earth, He wants you to walk in wisdom. He wants you to live an abundant life full of blessing. Please don’t walk in naivete or foolishness. Seek wisdom continuously. Ponder your steps BEFORE you take them. Let the Word of God be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path. Let the Holy Spirit give you knowledge, understanding, discernment and judgment to live an enormously fruitful life.

Remember, wisdom is ALWAYS crying out in the public square. The problem is never “message sent,” but “message received.” Tune into wisdom, and you will be blessed! 

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Numbers 16:7b (KJV)，read Numbers and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

Don’t Play the Cash Flow Game

Devotions/Partners

Image by mohamed Hassan / Pixabay. Used with Permission.

Proverbs 3:27-28 (KJV): “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbour, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when thou hast it by thee.” 

COMMENTARY: God wants His people to be free of covetousness, free of hoarding, free of clinging to material possessions for security. He wants us to be free to give. Free to live with integrity. Free to honor our commitments. Free to do good!

APPLICATION: In running my business for decades, this verse in Proverbs has been at the core of our Accounts Payable policy. We do not play the cash flow game that many businesses play. When we make a purchase, we agree to our suppliers’ terms and honor them. If we foresee a bump in our cash flow, we tap our bank line of credit or ask suppliers if we can have some breathing room. Through the good times and bad, every supplier has been paid every cent. If we say the check is in the mail, it is.

What about your Accounts Payable policy? Do you let your payments slide so you can earn more interest on the money? Do you use your suppliers as unofficial bankers and loan officers? Do you tell suppliers the check is in the mail, when it isn’t? Does the squeaky wheel get the grease, while your patient suppliers get left waiting? Pay your bills on time, and God will bless your integrity and your testimony. 

Joyfully yours,

Drew

For Further Exploration

For further exploration about Proverbs 5:21-22 (KJV)，read Proverbs and Work from the Theology of Work Bible Commentary.

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